Slash piles may be burned by state foresters under certain conditions, but more study will be required before Gov. John Hickenlooper is convinced to lift the ban on burns to clear forest undergrowth issued after the Lower North Fork fire last spring.

The executive order lifting part of the ban was one of three
signed by Hickenlooper Wednesday that aim to reducing risks and losses from fires in the wildland-urban interface, where more than a quarter of Colorado’s population lives.

“It was a very hard year,” Hickenlooper said. “Those affected by wildfires continue to rebuild their lives, to rebuild their communities”.

The Lower North Fork fire started the season when a prescribed burn by state officials on state land days before was reignited by wind on March 26 and blown into a neighborhood near Conifer. More than 4,100 acres burned and three civilians died. The fire destroyed 27 homes and resulted in $11.3 million in private property damage.

Hickenlooper quickly issued a ban on controlled burns statewide and appointed the Lower North Fork Wildfire Commission to investigate how a fire intended to improve forest health got away. Many of the commission’s finding are reflected in the orders issued Wednesday.

The amended burn order acknowledges “burning remains the least expensive and most effective method” for removing slash piles to reduce the risk of wildfire, but says the fires will be allowed only when there is a minimum of 4-6 inches of snow on the ground. The order also requires neighbors of potentially affected areas, local governments and the media to be notified.

Hickenlooper said experts tell him that prescribed burns to eliminate dense forest undergrowth are crucial for mitigation, but said the science behind them must be considered before prescribed burns beyond burning slash piles is brought back.

A second executive order created the 12-member Wildland and Prescribed Fire Advisory Committee to work with the director of the Division of Fire Prevention and Control to improve wildfire preparedness, response, suppression and management of prescribed fires.

The group’s tasks include “work to ensure continued safety and protection for residents on the wildland-urban interface, while promoting the health and longevity of our state’s natural forests through properly regulated pile burnings.”

With the third order, Hickenlooper created the 17-member Task Force on Wildfire Insurance and Forest Health to review issues related to coverage — including replacement costs of destroyed homes, accounting for personal property losses, relocation assistance and timeliness of insurance benefits.

The task force is also to look for ways insurance policies could provide incentives to landowners to promote forest health and reduce fire risks.

“A lot of people didn’t understand the limitations of their coverage,” Hickenlooper said.

At the same time, the governor is asking for $10.3 million for the Department of Natural Resources in an amended budget request for grant program that would match local dollars for improving forest health and fire prevention measures in the wildland-urban interface.

Freezing cold weather in Denver is set to topple a century-old record Tuesday as bundled up and shivering locals shoveled snow from sidewalks and drivers scraped ice off of windshields while warming up cold cars.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is warning the public Tuesday morning about “very dangerous” avalanches “large enough to kill you” following a heavy snowfall along the Front Range and the backcountry.